East Athens dance group celebrates 25 years

Erin France

Saturday

Feb 25, 2012 at 9:21 PM

The dancers gliding, leaping and pirouetting across the Morton Theatre's stage have more than a knowledge of steps; these students have poise, confidence and self-discipline from their training through the East Athens Educational Dance Center.

Center staff and students are celebrating the program's 25th anniversary this weekend with a series of performances starring talented young children and adults currently enrolled in classes, as well as dancing alumni.

"We must be doing something right to have so many kids go through this program," said Lois Thomas-Ewings, the center's founder and facility supervisor.

When Thomas-Ewings started teaching dance classes more than two decades ago, she only had one room for her classes, but she already had plans to grow the program, she said.

"I actually had a vision for a performing arts center," Thomas-Ewings said.

As more and more children from the community enrolled in dance classes and the program outgrew other spaces, the idea changed to an all-dance center.

But the center's teachers focus on more than the ballet, tap, hip-hop, praise, modern and other classes, Thomas-Ewings said.

About 95 percent of her students go on to college and many achieve master's and doctorate degrees, she said. Other students make a career of dance, by teaching or joining professional dance companies such as the famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

"That says a lot about this program," she said.

Parents agree. Their children sign up for dance, but learn a lot more.